Research

The Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology focuses on: (1) studies of developmental changes in social behaviors, social cognitions, and social relationships and how such changes are related to, caused by, or predictive of features of cognitive, emotional, motivational, neuropsychological, and psychopathological development; and (2) the development of psychometric, assessment, and statistical methodologies as relevant to education and the social sciences more broadly. HDQM faculty are leading scholars in their respective disciplines. Specializations within the department include the following.

Educational Psychology: The faculty in the Educational Psychology Specialization focus on the processes involved in learning across the lifespan. Themes include cognitive development focusing on language, mathematics, and reading. There are significant strengths in language learning, bi-lingualism, and cognitive neuroscience of reading.

Human Development, Developmental Science: The faculty in the Developmental Science Specialization focus on the processes involved in social and cognitive development across the lifespan. Themes include the importance of early experience on brain and behavior, the importance of peer relationships, moral reasoning, research on families and the influence of socio-economic status on childrens development.

Measurement, Statistics, and Evaluation: The faculty in Measurement, Statistics, and Evaluation focus on methodological research in the psychometric, assessment, and statistical arenas, addressing such topics as large-scale testing, item response theory, multilevel data structures, structural equation modeling, longitudinal models, and social networks.